02 September,2024 12:00 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
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The police on Monday said that three suspects have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of former Pune Municipal Corporation corporator, Vanraj Andekar, who was allegedly shot at and attacked with sharp weapons the previous day, reported news agency PTI.
Police suspect a relative of Former corporator Vanraj Andekar, who was in his late 30s, orchestrated the attack over an ongoing dispute, reported PTI.
Andekar was associated with the Nationalist Congress Party (undivided) before the Pune civic body was brought under state administrator.
Vanraj Andekar was elected as a corporator in the 2017 Pune Municipal Corporation elections. His mother, Rajashree Andekar, and uncle, Udaykanta Andekar, both served as corporators. Similarly, his sister, Vatsala Andekar, served as the former Mayor of Pune.
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A group of eight to nine people came on motorcycles and attacked Former corporator Vanraj Andekar in Nana Peth area at around 9:30 PM on Sunday. Some rounds were allegedly fired at Andekar. He was also attacked with sharp weapons on his neck and head, an officer said.
Two suspects were nabbed by the local police and another by the crime branch, said Additional Commissioner of Police, Pravin Patil, reported PTI.
"Witnesses claim some shots were fired but Andekar succumbed to injuries inflicted on his head and neck by sharp weapons. An empty cartridge was found in the deceased's clothing," Patil added, reported PTI.
Family members of Former corporator Vanraj Andekar lodged an FIR suspecting the role of a relative behind the attack.
"They have named nine individuals and five others in the FIR," Patil said, adding that family members of the deceased suspect the role of a relative in orchestrating the attack owing to an ongoing dispute, reported PTI.
Further investigation is underway.
Earlier this year, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar was shot thrice on February 8 evening when he was speaking live on Facebook (Meta) about his political work. The assailant later shot himself dead.
The incident took place at IC Colony, Borivali, in the suburbs of Mumbai, said the police, who identified the assailant as Morris Noronho. Ghosalkar was rushed to the nearby Karuna Hospital in north Mumbai but was declared dead on arrival.
Noronho was also seen in the Facebook live video, asking Abhishek to speak to the online audience in the live feed. As soon as the session was over and Abhishek got up to step outside the room, Noronho opened fire at him, when the live streaming was still continuing. After that, he went on the rooftop of the office, loaded the pistol with bullets, and shot himself in the head, informed the police present at the crime site.
(With inputs from PTI)
